(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fire extinguishers.
(2) Description of the Related Art
There are a wide variety of fire extinguishing technologies and fire extinguisher constructions. These include propellant-actuated extinguishers and extinguishers charged with compressed and/or liquefied gas. United States Military Specification MIL-E-52031D(ME)(5 Sep. 1979), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, identifies a hand-held and actuated vaporizing-liquid fire extinguisher. This exemplary extinguisher utilizes CF3Br (monobromotrifluoromethane) suppressant.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,474 of Huthsing, Jr. discloses a portable extinguisher operated by puncturing a gas cartridge to pressurize the extinguisher.
The basic features of an early propellant-actuated extinguisher are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,530,633 (Scholz). Scholz discloses a fire extinguisher wherein “a liquid extinguishing medium, such as methyl bromide, is expelled from its container by gas evolved from the burning of” a pyrotechnic charge. The charge is originally stored in a container, which includes electric squibs. The charge container is mounted in an upper end of the vessel within a “container cup”. Opposite the container cup, an outlet from the vessel is formed by an elbow fitting sealed by a rupturable diaphragm. Ignition of the pyrotechnic charge ruptures a lower wall of the charge container and vents combustion gases into the vessel. The combustion gases serve “as a gas piston acting on the surface of the liquid” rupturing the diaphragm which sealed the outlet and propelling the liquid out of the extinguisher.
The application of a propellant-actuated extinguisher to use in military vehicles is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,640 (Brobeil). Brobeil discloses an extinguisher in many ways similar to Scholz. The exemplary fire suppressant utilized is Halon 1301. The lower end of the extinguisher vessel is sealed by a rupturable diaphragm. A gas generating device is mounted atop the neck of the vessel. The exemplary gas generating composition is 62% sodium azide and 38% copper oxide.
Patent Cooperation Treaty International Application PCT/US00/05953 (published as WO 00/57959) discloses a hybrid fire extinguisher.
Patent Cooperation Treaty International Application PCT/US00/30726 (published as WO 01/34516), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, discloses a number of gas generation systems.